Weed extractor



Aug. 24 1926. l

Aus 24 192e.` T. w. HlcKs WE1-:D ExTRAcToR Filed May s. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ally 'aba l l\ 'n l@ ma v 4 i zg 03 x Q w .Q1 N l.

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WEED EXTRACTOR Filed May s. 1922 5 sheets-sheet s Aug. 24,1925.-

v T. w. HlcKs wann EXTRATOR Filed May I5. 1922 '5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Illllllllllil iw v mana Patented` Aug. 24, 1926.

UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. HICKS, OF IVINNEAPOLXS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO `POWER. FARMING MACHINERY CO., OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

WEED EXTRACTOR.

Application led May 3,

useless, for the reason that they are overrun with weeds, such as quack grass (Agr0pg/ rum repeats). TheV roots of this quack grass grow shallow under the surface ot the ground and form an inteimatted network of roots that canrbe completely destroyed only by digging them out and separating them from the soil and then burning the remains.

A machine that will remo ve quack grass from the earth, and separate the same from the uplifted earth, will do likewise with any other kind of weed' growth or the like and, hence, in designingH this improved machine, I have had in mind, primarily, the extraction and destruction of quack grass roots, and secondarily, all noxious `weeds and wild growths.

The weed-extracting machine is made as a complete unit, which is adapted to be pulled by a tractor or drawn by horses, but the running mechanism thereof, in either in stance, will be motor-driven. 3

A weed extractor designed for the purpose above described is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. o Y f Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the weed extractor designed and arranged `to be `drawn by horses;` Y

Fig. 1a shows the weed extractor coupled to and arranged to be drawn by a twowheeled tractor; y v

Fig. 2 is a plan view with some parts broken away, showing the weedextractor proper; i l Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and i y v Fig. 4 is a transverse Vertical section taken approximately on thev linea-l of Fig. 3.

The weed extractor units, Fig. 1, have a rectangular horizontally disposed frame `5 1922. Serial No. 558,182.

`carried by laterally spaced wheels 6 and 7. To adaptthe truck, made up of said frame 5 and wheels 6 and 7 tobe drawn by horses, said iframey 5, at its front end, is rigidly but detachably connected to a supplemental frame or trame extension 8, preferably by `meins of bolts and coupling plates 9.

Rigidly securedto the front end of the supplemental frame S4 isa bearing bracket l0, to which is rigidly secured the upperend or a depending post 11; and onthis post is swiveled a flanged draft-head 12 and the fork 13 of a caster wheel 14, which latter carries the main part of the `front .portion ot the truck load. `The numeral 15 indicates a cleris, which is attached to theiront ,tlauge oi the draft liead 12 and to `which a dralt equalizer may be connected when the machine is 'to be drawn by horses.

The numeral 16 indicatesan upright post piroted in a bearing on the supplemental `iframe 8 and having a crank-like lower end ou which an obliquely set gaugegwheel 17 is loosely journaled. To the upper end of the post 16 is secured a head 18, to which is pivoted the rear end of the steering pole 19. Willen horses are hitched to the machine, the pole 19 will be suitably connected to the neck yoke or to o ne of the neck yokes.` The castor wheel 14 will run upon the unplowed groundwhile the gauge wheel 17 will run in `the furrow and crowd againstthe side of the furrow to release the side-draft and valso to assist in `guiding the machine to a very considerable extent. y

For uplifting a llat ribbon-like furrow y from the earth, I provide a substantially flat plow 29, which is secured to the rear end olf' a `plow beam 2l. The flat plow bottom 29 `has a detachable point or shearing edgs 26, the rear part of which carries 'flanges which `lit into a groove lor grooves cut under the sur face ot the flat inoldboard. This arrangei f ment olllanges into fitted grooves holds the plow point, cut or shearing edge secure ly in position, yet allows itl to be detached and a sharper point or shear put into its `place while the dulled point is being resharpened. The front end of 'said beam 2l ispivotally attached to the rear flange of the draft-head 12. y f

`For raising and lowering the plow and its beam, I provide a latch lever 2Q pivoted to and co-operating with the notched latch arch 23 rigidly secured on the supplemental frameV 8. At ots'lower end7 the' lever 22 has a lateral projection that is connected bv a f link 24 to a bracket 25 on the plow beam 2l. T ie numeral nnhcates a sharp. dislt or -colttr which isiy journaled. to a castenacting The ribbon of earth y, as it is delivered from andover vthe ,top of the plow 20, is directed immediately between two positively power-driven endless'tootlied' conveyor belts and '42prefera'bly made up of sprocket chains having toothed links. The chains of these belts run over sprocket wheels 3l and V32, and40 and4l, (see Fig. 3), carried, re-

V spectively,bys'h'afts 33 and 34, and 3?' and 39. "Thesh'aft34 is extended through and journaled in suitable'bearings'in the depend- 'ingys'id'es of the housing 29,'and the shaft 33 fisjournaledin' the'lower end of an inclined `frame35, the upper rear end of which frame is pivoted on the shaftV 34. At its lower end,

v`said frame vis provided with rigid later- V`ally'spa'ced forwardly projecting extensions 35a', shown as ,pivotallyf and slidably con- .nected'to vthe sidesof'the upper rear portion of the plow 20 by slot and bolt connections lournaled in bearings on the sides vof the housing 29 andextendmg transversely'therethrough is a shaft 37 located high above the toothed conveyingfbelt 30. A yconveyor frame 38'is pivoted on the shaftV 37 and, at its forward lower end, carries a shaft 39.

VVThe shafts 37 and 39 carry vsprockets 40 and 41, over whichrun toothed sprocket chains 42 that constitute a toothed overhead powerdriven conveyorfeed belt. shaft 39 Vare also journaled in the lowerends of" vertically movable plungers 43 t'hat work through a deck 44 on the front portion of the frame `5. plungers 43 also Vwork vthrough brackets 45 inthe front portion of the frame 5. A coiled spring 46 is placed 'around4 at least one of theplungers 43 and is `the'lowertoothe'd feed belt and works directlyover the top of the plows'hare, where V'fit willftalepositive hold of the uplifted furrow Aand forcibly feed the furrow slice back into themachine until the furrow is 'engaged bythe lower toothedl feed belt, and

ther; both upper and lower feed belts force The ends of the the furrow slice Ydirectly into Contact with the teeth of the threshing cylinders 49 and51.

Mounted to receive from the lower toothedv feed belt 30, is a lower toothed threshing cylinder49,gthe shaft 50 of` which is. Vjournaled in suitable bearings .on the lower portion of the sides of the housing 29. laocated at a considerable distance above f the lower threshing cylinder 49 is an upper 'toothedv threshing cylinder 5l, preferably larger than said cylinder 49 Aand Vthe shaft 52 of which is journaled inl suitable bearings on the sides of the housing 29. At one end, near its other end,'it is provided with a sprocket 54. rlhe positionof theup-` per cylinder 5l bein(T stationed exactly 33% forwardly of the position of the lower threshing'cylinder 49V is an importantfactor of this application and has much :to do with thepracticability of the machine. Thesame is also true of the difference in size of theV upper'threshing cylinder 5l and the lower threshing cylinder 49, the upperthreshmg cylinder 5l having a total' diameter of Y eiksrrhteen inches .against the total diameter often inches'ofthe'lower cylinder:49;V A sprocket chain 55 runsy overv Vthe sproclret 54 and over a Vsprocket 56 on the sprocket shaft 37.'

The bevel gear 53'meshes Vwith bevel driving` pnnon57 carried by alongitudinal I shaft 53 mounted insuit-able bearings on one side of the main frame 5. The pinion 57, driven directly from lthe motor-through a clutch, meshes with a bevel gear'f) carried by a short transverseshaft 6O1journaled in a suitable bearingonsaid frame 5 and p vided on its outer end with axsproclieti A sprocket chain 62 runs over the sprocket 6l and overI a`sproclret'63on-the correspondf ing end of the l'cylinder shaft 50. Said cylindershaft 50, adjacent tothe sprocket-63, is provided with a' similarsproclretbi, overl which and a sprocket 65,'*on vthe sprocket shaft 34; runs Ysprocket chain 66.' Y V In theconstruction illustrated `iny F` l. the motor fordriving the running parte the machine-is preferably a multi-cylinder- 4explosive engine 67 rigidly secured ontheA front portion ofthe main f'ame 5 near one side thereof and'lts crankshaft is arranged to be connected to the front end of the shaft' 58v byra friction clutch 68, best A vshown in Fig; 2, of any suitable construction, l

but which is adaptedto be pressure-released by a suitableclutch-actuating fork 69 shown as secured toa-sliding bolt TO mounted in the plungers 43, and provided with anupwardly extended arm-73 that ispivotally perinost .connected to the sliding bolt `70 `(see partic- Y ularly Figs. 2 and 8). l The arrangement just described is such that, when the front end of the overhead toothed feed belt 42 is raised to a predetermined extent, the clutch 68 will be opened but, normally, the springs 46 will hold'said upper toothed belt in such loweredposition that the clutch 68 will remain in action and the power of the engine will be transmitted to the ruiming parts of the machine. n

Suitably secured to the rear portion of the main frame 5 and extending across the same and projecting from one side thereof, is an elevator housing 74, into the lower portion of which the toothed threshing cylinders 49 and 5l are adapted to disintegrate and separate the weeds from the earth of the lifted furrow. lVorking along the `inclined bottom of this elevator housing is a conveyor, preferably made up of laterally spaced toothed tedder-acting conveyor bars 75. These conveyor bars 75 are provided with depending legs 76 journaled on crank shafts 77 mounted in suitable bearings on the bottom of said housing 75. four of these crank shafts 77 arranged in pairs, the members of the pairs of crank shafts being arranged to rotate in parallel and the two pairs of crank shafts bein `arranged to alternate the movements o the conveyor slats 7 5 and thereby more thoroughly separate the weeds and roots from` `the soil of the furrow slice.

At their rear ends, the lowermost crank shaft 77 and the next to the uppermost crank shaft 77 are provided with sprockets 77a, and a long sprocket chain 78 which runs over said sprockets and over a driving sprocket 58a on the v'driving shaft 58 (see Figs. A3 and 4).- At their rear ends, the two lower crank shafts 77 are provided with sprockets T9 over which runs a sprocket chain 80. At their front ends, the two upshafts 77 are provided with sprockets 8l over which runs a sprocket chain 82.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. la,

the weed extractor unit is arranged to be drawn by a two-wheel tractor, of the parts of which it is only desirable to particularly note the main frame 83, traction wheels 84 and engine 85. The tractor frame 83 is here rovided with a vertical cou lin(lr fork 86 `P P e that is pivotally connected to a coupling fork 87 secured on the front end of the coupling shaft 88. This coupling shaft 88 is swiveled in the upper portion of an arched bridge bracket 89 that is rigidly7 but detacliably secured toV thev front end of the main frame 5. The coupling shaft 88 should be provided with a swivel so as to permit the rear wheels and 7, as well as the ltractor wheels 84, to adapt themselves to irregularities in the ground. Also, in this arrange There are ment, the power for driving the running parts of the weed extractor unit, instead of being drawn by horses or by a tractor. If

"` drawn by a tractor when the supplemental frame and its supporting wheels areused as` shown in Fig. l, the coupling to the tractor may be made through the clevis l5; or the supplemental frame may be removed and the machine can be coupled to the tractor in any other suitable way.

In Fig` l, the numeral 91 indicates the operators seat suitably supported from the deck 44. In Fig. la, the numeral 92 indicates the operators seat suitably supported from .the top of the housing 29,

Operation.

When the machine is moved forward, the plow 2O will, of course, uplift a furrow or ribbon of earth, the upper portion of which, where quack grass or other weed roots prevail, will contain a thick network of roots and underground rootstalks much longer than and frequently much tougher than ordinary sod. As this ribbon of earth passes the upper portion of the plow and before it leaves the plow, the matted sod-like upper riety is extremely hard to handle and will not feed naturally as will ordinary sod or soil.` Therefore, the contact made with the ribbon of earth early in the act of handling the saine by this machine, as is done by the position and action of the upper toothed feed belt and thesuccessive engagement of the bottom of the furrow by the lower powerdriv`en toothed feed belt, which, in turn, aids and assists the upper feed beltin grabbing, retaining and forcibly conveying the matter roots and earth ,directly into the toothed threshing cylinders and pulling the sod apart during the act of conveying it, is 'a special featureof the above described mechanism The driving connections are llt) ` broken I ribbon of eai .the lowenand u per toothed threshino' c Al- ,Pi W e Y `inc'iers i9 and V5l and b these two toothed 1., Y a.. a, Y

cylinders, theearth ,willbe very completely inovenient of tlieearth and `roots the toothed leed belts zand toothed disinte-l .suc-lithat,theuppertoothed `:feed belt 4Q will 4be niovecl aster than -tlie'lower feed belt 30l and, Yiii-aetllcoth feed belts should be nioved faster than .the orwardinovernent vof Vthe inachine. Vihis causes early stretching, loosening, crumbling and separation oit the Vearth and Vroots by causing the upper portion lthereof jto `be inoved faster vthan `the lower portion, a fl lier-ce, to be given a sort o1 preliminar tegrating action that eliiciency vin breaking up the `ss of .the earth ,and .loosening up thelroots therefrom.

.Frornigtliiehtwo Vfeed belts 42 and 30, the h will ybe fed between grating cylinders, niost of the earth willgbe dropped ontoitheground, butsonieoi the earth vwilligo with the roots into the hous- -Aingr Tl .llCl Ont-o :the vibratory.separating elevator conveyor. bars rllhe latters it f will be noted, are spaced apart, as best fshownjinllig. i3,.s othat,all ofthe dirtwill be .separated `and :shaken `'trein the roots `and dropped Vto the, bottom oi the; sheet iron housing Tl, Iandredepositedinto thelopen `furrow at the rear of the inachine. These elevator' conveyorbars Toare ot peculiar Construction, being about sii; .inches wide and one inch thick, set on edge, withtlie upperedge notched `so that, as the First bar is at'its top position, in the act of velevating` and conveying, and ythe second bar is'at its lower position, thebars are wide enough to prevent any opening appearing between the two barsor the vgrooved space between f the bars, so-that noloss ofdirt or roots through such openingsoccurs; andthis construction, also preventsva shearing or cutting Y of the root-s by thev action rot the bars. The

cut-ting oli" et sinall parts otroots aL some Athrough such openings would defeat iosing the Awhole purpose ot the machine. The clean roots .will be discharged at the upper tend of thehousing ,74 `and inay be caught in a suitable lreceptacle, such as a .wagon driifeii att-beside et the machine, or niay be droppedin a rowyon the Yground whereV `separated matter.

the lina .be burned or otherwise dis- ;PQSBcl Offlirt any time, there` seguid bean Oven "-l'llmllall Offlieeartlipnd FQQS @tween Y cylinders ,and possi nisni, Qsucli .acc ii :belts 'giorV v.receiving` v,earth Af'iiorn www the ,lower andgappertoothed rfeed beltsor a rock or 'bunch of treewots, such aswoulfd likely break or clog; the r`toot edrthreshin'g blycauseb aka'ge'of the its `or" .the fdriv'` i l @emilion afee Mail 1 will raisetlie orwaredj'ree end il i 3.8 kagainst.the tension ofthe :spring .f 'ibed (connections gears or vthe p44 alla,

rriction clutch 6 8 andtlius `dis c oi i i` iefe t the eroine troni the drivin()` mechanism,

lhis niach while es Jeciall desi'oned Yi ....111, ano particularly adapted Vltor eradication ol quack grass roots, will, nevertheless,be

v:.:eparatiirg` vroniftlieV soil all' noxious roots ,1. lnfa Lweeding" iinpleinent, a plow, a.

pair Vverticallyspaced toothed conveyor f Pleine pairy of vertically `separated Vto up eriuost cylineer 'having a 4vrelati ely .v tl'heiupper belt heilt, lspeed than the lower beingirelatively larger than theilower cylinbelts for VArer ,diameter than the i b v,driven at a higher ,be-it and thet .errer cylinder having a bisher peripheral s feed gretative growth. willbeseparated .earth Iraised by the plow.

tronnthe pair or vertically'spaeed.toothed conveyor Areceiving; earth troni theplow, a ertically 1separated toothed ,cylinto intoftlie `turrovgsaid upper cylinder den andY rotate-bleV at a1 j.higherperipheral speedthanthe.speed ot ,travel ot the loifverY Cylinder ,and at a higher periplieral-lspeed than the speed otravel of ytlieupper belt.

.ln a weeding implement, a plow,

pair of vertically spaeedtoothed conveyor belts for receiving` Eearth troni. the plow, a

separated toot-hed cylin` pair of .vertical ders `for .receiving .earth from the conveyor belts, ,said ,lower cylinderbeing relatively sinall and` permittinfij`-disintegrated *earch* to `tall into `the furrow, said upper cylinder being relatively larger than thelower cvli'ne der and ,rotatable 4at a higher peripheral speed than the speed ot ,tra-vel' ofthe lower cylinder .and ata higher peripheral speed than the speed `of travel or the upper'lbelt, said upper belt and upper `cylinder operating' toA pull vegetabiezgrowth from the engagged earth, and lnieaiistorreceiving'the Interi-ieperwhereof l. Signatur@- ,..TiHOMeS 1W.V

l ofjtliefupfper ybelt if. l'nfa weedingimplement, a plow, a

receiving earth'tro'nithe conveyor `belts,,sai-'cl lowercylinder being relatively small and permitting .disintegrated earth 

